The site of an attack by alleged Sri Lankan military shelling in the rebel-held patch of land in Sri Lanka's northeastern coastal district of Mullaittivu Photo: AFP
A mortar shell has struck the only functioning hospital in northern Sri Lanka, killing 49 patients and bystanders, as the army continued its campaign against the Tamil Tigers.
It was not immediately clear which side had fired the mortar.
Dr Thurairaja Varatharajah, the senior government health official in the war zone, said a single mortar shell hit the admissions ward in the makeshift hospital. In addition to the 49 killed, scores of others were injured, many with head and stomach wounds. He said that he expected the death toll to rise.
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He added that shells were still hitting the area hours later, including one that landed about 150 yards from the hospital.
The attack came after a weekend of heavy shelling that killed hundreds of civilians trapped in the war zone. The military has denied accusations that it was still shelling the tiny coastal strip still under rebel control, which is packed with an estimated 50,000 civilians.
The military had also pledged not to use heavy artillery in the area.
Seevaratnam Puleedevan, a spokesman for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelem (LTTE), blamed the attack on government forces, and said civilians were fleeing in all directions inside the tiny war zone, seeking safety.
"There's no place to seek shelter or protect themselves," he said.
But the Sri Lankan defence spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, denied the army had launched the attack. He said government forces had not launched any air strikes or artillery into the area.
Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, said on Monday that he was "appalled at the killings of hundreds of civilians in Sri Lanka over the weekend. Thousands of Sri Lankans have already died in the past several months due to the conflict, and more still remain in grave danger."
His comments followed those of a UN official in Sri Lanka who described the weekend deaths, which included 100 children, as a "bloodbath".
Dr Thurairaja Varatharajah, the senior government health official in the war zone, said a single mortar shell hit the admissions ward in the makeshift hospital. In addition to the 49 killed, scores of others were injured, many with head and stomach wounds. He said that he expected the death toll to rise.
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Sri Lanka accused of 'war crime' over shelled hospital
UN condemns ethnic Tamil 'bloodbath' in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka rebuffs reports that 257 civilians were killed in last 24 hours
UN accuses Sri Lanka of shelling civilian 'safe zone'
Sri Lanka conflict: refugees 'shelled in no-fire zone'
He added that shells were still hitting the area hours later, including one that landed about 150 yards from the hospital.
The attack came after a weekend of heavy shelling that killed hundreds of civilians trapped in the war zone. The military has denied accusations that it was still shelling the tiny coastal strip still under rebel control, which is packed with an estimated 50,000 civilians.
The military had also pledged not to use heavy artillery in the area.
Seevaratnam Puleedevan, a spokesman for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelem (LTTE), blamed the attack on government forces, and said civilians were fleeing in all directions inside the tiny war zone, seeking safety.
"There's no place to seek shelter or protect themselves," he said.
But the Sri Lankan defence spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, denied the army had launched the attack. He said government forces had not launched any air strikes or artillery into the area.
Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary-General, said on Monday that he was "appalled at the killings of hundreds of civilians in Sri Lanka over the weekend. Thousands of Sri Lankans have already died in the past several months due to the conflict, and more still remain in grave danger."
His comments followed those of a UN official in Sri Lanka who described the weekend deaths, which included 100 children, as a "bloodbath".
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